LCD Temperature Shield Assembly Instuctions

These are assembly instructions for the LCD Temperate Shield with buzzer that i am going to be selling soon. Please note, all the photos are my own, but are of one of my Prototype stage boards, and are subject to change, the production boards WILL look different and may have slightly altered layout, but the directions are similar, and once i get production going, i'll update the photos.

Link to my site with the code and more information regarding the "kit": http://tinyurl.com/2fksv8h

Step 1: Prepare Your Tools and Your Parts

Make sure you have all your parts per the bil of materials(BOM) and all the tools, for some recomendats i'll like to some ladyada guides. This also won't instruct you "how to solder" per say, but i'll link to some guides for that as well if your new at that. But i'm not going to re-write the book if its already written.

See image notes

Step 2: Place Your Board in a Vise or Something Similar to Hold It

Place your Board in a vise or something similar to hold it

Step 3: Place the Buzzer

Place the buzzer in the holes marked "Buzzer"  The polarity Does not matter for this part

NOTE: on this particular proto run i didn't have the right spacing on the buzzer holes, so the buzzer doesn't sit flush on the board, you will want to make yours flush(as the holes have since been fixed)

I recommend flaring the leads out to help hold the part in place for soldering, as seen in the second photo

Now Solder the pins and then clip the leads

Step 4: Place the Contrast Pot

Place the Contrast Pot in the whole marked 10K Pot(Contrast)

Again, the orientation doesn't mater with this part, and just solder and clip the leads

NEW: in the latest revision i also added a spot that you can your own pot to control the brightness, the pot isn't included and by default is "jumpered" so its set to full brightness, but you can cut this jumper and soldering in a pot(10K or similar)     Pictures coming Soon

Step 5: Place the 2 Push Butons

Next place the 2 Push Button "Tact-Switchs", the can only fit in easily 2 ways, make sure the leads are on the sides as shown, and the switchs should "snap" in to hold them. But you shouldn't have to bend the leads to fit them in the hole, it should line up easily.

Solder the pins(4 on each button) and you can trim these leads if you want, i like all my leads short, so i did

Step 6: Placing the Header for the LCD

Placing the Header for the LCD, you could also solder the pins from the LCD directly to the board, but for my taste, i don't like to tie the LCD to one project, this makes it so if the LCD went bad you can replace it easily, or if you need to "borrow" the LCD for something you can do that easily as well.

Please note, i used the locking header foot print from Sparkfun here. so the header takes a little bit of force to get in, but afterwords it stays on its own for soldering.

Step 7: Placing in the 10K Pull-up Resistor

Placing in the 10K Pull-up Resistor for the alarm On/Off switch

Step 8: Placing the TMP36 Temperature Sensor

The TMP36 will look like a standard Transistor. You will need to bend the middle pin offset to the other pins in order for it to fit on this board.

UPDATE: on my latest revision the pins are in a straight line, and the outside pins will need bent a bit out, but the middle pin will stay straight. Pics coming soon

Step 9: Soldering the Headers On

The headers will come in a big strip and will need cut to size, I recommended placing it in your Arduino Board and the Clipping to the right size/length, and leaving them in the Arduino to make alignment easier

Step 10: Finishing Up

At this point you can trim up any leads you haven't already, you can trip the headers you just solder, NOT THE LONG PART ON THE BOTTOM, only the part on the top, the little subs left.

If your like me you can also clean the flux residue of with Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, or some flux remover(available at most electronics shops)

Step 11: Uploading the Code

The code as a .pde (opens in the Ardunio IDE) are attached below

Step 12: Board and Schematic Files

Here are the 0.3 (beta) version of the files, these are the latest ones i have, i will try and update as i go, and i will upload the production version once i go to production